Collapsible clothes tree



Patented Dec. 14, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FORREST A. RICE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

COLLAPSIBLE Application filed December This invention relates to clothes trees of the variety having a vertical pole supported on legs and provided with hooks or pegs at its upper Vend for suspending articles of clothing, and it has for its objects an article of this kind which though rigid and serviceable is capable of being collapsed or folded into a compact space for storing when not in use or for ease of shipment.

The invention is realized in the construction shown in the accompanying drawings and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved clothes tree opened up and in position for use; Figure 2 is an enlarged view showing the article in collapsed condition and secured by an attached cord or strap; Figure 3 is a sectional view of .Figure 1 taken from the lines III- III thereof; and Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line Tlf-IV, of Figure 1.

In further detail the drawings show at (1) a vertical post having an upper section (2) hinged to it at (3), the hinge being supported outwardly from the surface of the post by blocks (il).

The post is supported in a vertical position by means of four outwardly slanting legs (5) hinged to the post at and braced against spreading by links (7).

The links (7) are each pivo-ted at one end to a leg as shown at (8) and at the other ond at to a sleeve (10) which slides easily over the reduced lower end (11) of the post and abuts a shoulder (12) at the termination of the reduced portion.

The upper hinged section (2) of the post is held rigid by means of any suitable clamp or hook as indicated at (13).

Along the upper portion are arranged suitable hooks or pegs (14), preferably three rows arranged in the form of a triangle as shown in Figure 4. 1n Figure l the relation of the hinge (3) to the pegs will bc r observed, the arrangement being such as to afford a clear side for folding the post sections with the two rows of pegs projecting outwardly at an angle when collapsed as shown in Figure 2.

CLOTHES TREE.

1,5, 1923. Serial No. 680.936.

To fold the legs the sleeve (10) is pulled downwardly from the lower end of the post and carries the inner ends of thei'links (7) with it, thereby drawing the legs together as shown in Figure 2. Secured to one of the legs is a strap or cord (15) preferably held by a screw or staple at (16) and adapted to pass around the folded article, holding all securely together in the manner shown in Figure 2.

Having thus described my invention, it will be seen that it provides in a very simple structure a compact folding of a heretofore unwieldy article, thereby greatly enhancing its usefulness.

I claim:

A collapsible clothes tree comprising a standard made up of a pair of sections adapted to be arranged one upon the other in endwise relation, a hinge uniting said sections at their adjacent ends to permit the sections to be folded parallel to each other, said hinge providing a space between the sections when in their folded positions, the connected end portion of the lower end of said section being rectangular in cross section, a plurality of supporting legs having beveled upper ends, hinges secured to the faces of the lower section and to the beveled upper ends of the supporting legs, whereby said legs may be folded directly upon the lower scc-tion, one of said legs conforming in one of its transverse dimensions to the width of the space between the sections in their folded positions and disposed to provide a bearing surface for the upper section when folded, a collar slidable over thc lower end portion of the lower section, links having their opposite ends pivotally connected to the legs and the collar formoving the legs angularly when the collar is moved axially, the said collar and links being so disposed that the collar is detached from the lower section and disposed between. the free end portions of the legs when the same are folded upon the lower section.

FORREST A. RICE. 

